Rivals
by J.T. Castle
Summary: All is as it should be in both Clark Kents and Supermans life until the arrival of the super intelligent being called Brainiac. This is the reimagining of Brainiacs origin and the first Chapter of a series of connected short stories.


In the vastness of space there are almost limitless varieties of intelligent life forms and civilizations. Arguably the most intelligent and technologically advanced of all these civilizations are those of the planet Colu. The Coluans are sentient humanoid beings with green tinted skin who's intellect has advanced a millennia beyond any other known life form. The planet Colu has not seen war on its own surface in generations instead in the last few decades the entire planet has became unified as one community. The people of Colu prospered greatly from their unity but like it has been said many times over no good deed goes unpunished. The planets population began increase almost instantly and it wasn't to long before all the natural resources were demolished. From that point on Colu's peaceful people would become survival driven world conquerors. The great minds of Colu devised a system in which the could take over entire worlds, destroy its people, then extract the natural resources to be used on Colu. This process was achievable because of two inventions. The minimalization construct, a machine that has the ability shrink entire cities and the Brain Inter Active Construct, a highly intelligent ever learning android that the Coluans came to call Brainiac. The idea was a fairly simple one. Send Brainiac with the minimalization construct to shrink the most populated city of a chosen planet. Brainiac would then shrink the city, study it, then determine the most affective means of eradication. Hundreds of planets dissipated into barren wastelands because of the Coluans conquest. Brainiac met with no oposition so with each planet he grew smarter, by inter grading with each planets technology he became more powerful. Now he grows closer to his most recently targeted planet. A planet with almost the exact resources Colu once held. A planet called Earth, but even with his advanced intellect Brainiac was unaware that Earth had a protector, an adopted son some might say. A hero the people of Earth called Superman. Superman an alien himself was sent to Earth as infant Kal-El, the only known survivor of the planet Krypton witch met with its untimely demise only moments after his rocket blasted into space. Baby Kal-El was found and raised by a kind and loving couple in Smallville,  
Kansas who could not bare children of there own. They named him Clark Kent. As an adult Clark moved to the large bustling g city of Metropolis where he landed a job as a reporter at one of the largest newspapers in the world the Daily Planet. It was there he met his pal Jimmy Olsen and his now girlfriend Lois Lane. As impressive as this all was there was another side to Clark, a whole other identity, a persona he used to protect the people of Earth using his amazing abilities. A persona that represented truth and justice. When the world needed him Clark Kent Would become Superman.  
At this point in his life Clark has become comfortable with his situation. As Clark he was successful, in love and as Superman no job was to big. All was good for this hero. This is how it was for a while until one day at the Daily Planet Jimmy Olsen inadvertently ruined everything.

"Clark.. Clark"  
"Calm down Jimmy what is it"  
" Look at these pictures I just developed, do you see it"  
" See what Jimmy, I just see the tops of buildings and an airplane"  
" Thats not an airplane. Here look at this one"  
" My god Jimmy what is that"  
" I don't know it looks like some kind of flying green and purple skull with tentacles ... thing"  
" Where did you take these"  
" I was near the power plant when I saw it just hovering there"  
" Is it still there"  
" I don't know, maybe"  
" Ok Jimmy go show these to Perry, I have to go make a phone call."

Jimmy turned his back for all of three seconds before Clark was gone and Superman stood on the roof. Using his telescopic vision Superman scanned the sky for the strange flying object. He found it still hovering near the power plant about five miles west, he was there in a matter of seconds. Not knowing how to approach the object he decided to see if it spoke.

" I am Superman, I come in piece. What or who are you?"

The harsh looking machine turned and studied Superman for a moment with what appeared to be its eyes. Unbeknownst to Superman the object was actually a ship the real threat was inside studying him trying to determine what course of action take giving the fact that on all the planets he had been to never has anyone approached him in this manner.

" I am Brainiac. Are you an Earthling"  
" No, but this is my home and I believe I can represent the people of Earth. How can I help you"  
" My data shows me your a Kryptonian. You must have left the planet before its destruction"  
" How do you know about Krypton"  
" Do not concern yourself with trivial matters such as that. I am here for a purpose so if do not mind please leave me be"  
" Im sorry but I can't do that. Im gonna need you to come with me"  
" You have forced my hand kryptonian I will dispose of you before I take this city"  
" What are gonna do with Metropolis?"

As if answering with his actions Brainiacs ship launches a beam of energy that slammed into supermans chest sending flying back uncontrollably. Superman gained control of his movement and flew full speed at the hull of the ship aiming to puncture it when another beam hit him this time sending him crashing into a vacant building. The ship then used the same beam to collapse the building with Superman in it. Believing he had defeated the kryptonian, the ship

turned back to the power plant where Brainiac was inter grading his intelligence with Earths technology. When he was almost finished the ships alarms went off. Something had approached the ship so fast its radars were unable to pick it up. The alarms were followed by a series of slams on the outside of the ship. Brainiac used the ships tentacle to grab whatever was attacking. On the outside Superman now was trying to free himself from the grasp of the large tentacle. With a concentrated blast of his heat vision he was able to sever it. He then began smashing his way to the inside again. When he finally breached the hull Brainiac dropped out of the ship in a small excape pod. Superman realized what happen to late and the ships self destruction mechanism exploded obliterating the ship and apparently Superman. Brainiac landed and immediately set up the minimalization construct. He was about to

trigger it when Superman flew by Brainiac slamming his fist into the androids jaw. Before Brainiac could fall Superman flew by punching him again then again and again. Brainiac stumbled back.

" Superman... You cannot... stop ... me... I am ... every"  
" Enough talking Brainiac. Your obviously not a living being so I have no problem doing this."

At that moment Superman grabbed Brainiacs head and ripped it from his body which slumped back and fell to the ground. Brainiacs glowing red eyes faded out. Later that day Clark was back at the Daily Planet typing up the days events as a story for the paper when Lois came up behind him and put her arms 

around him.

" I heard what happened. Are you al right"  
" Yeah Lois I'm fine"  
" But"  
" But, I have a feeling this isn't the last we've seen of this Brainiac"  
" What do you mean"  
" I don't know, he was trying to say something be fore Superman finished him off"  
" Well what happened to his body"  
" Superman took his head and body along with the ship and that starnge device to Star labs and left them with Professor Hamilton to see if he could make some sense of any of it"  
" Well then you have nothing to worry about. Star labs are more than capable of handling alien technology"  
" Yeah but there was something to Brainiac. Its like he was from hundreds of different planets. What if is somehow able to combine with different tech. make it part of him"  
"Well theres no use in worrying Superman beat him let it go"  
" I guess your right. Lets go home."

Meanwhile at the University of Metropolis a professor of computer technology stays late working on his computer when all of sudden the screen goes blank.  
He trys to restart but nothing works. Then unexplainably letters start to appear on the screen eventually spelling out a message.

" Hello Milton Fine. I am Brainiac." 


End file.
